Automatic carousel machine for the metered feeding and packaging of fluid products

Abstract: The feeders (35 to 42) for forming portions of the product, the product supply reservoir (44) and the valve means (34 - 43) which switch the connection of the feeders between the said reservoir and the feed nozzles (5) located on the feeding and packaging carousel (1-2) are separate from the carousel itself and are mounted in any position in which they can be easily inspected, and the feeders are connected to the said nozzles by means of the fixed part (17) of at least one rotary joint (2-17) disposed coaxially on the carousel. This joint is characterized by high reliability in operation, is designed to facilitate washing and sterilization of all the circuits through which the product flows, and if necessary can be easily dismantled for inspection of the various components. The rotary joint may be designed to form distribution chambers for the monitoring of the residual product in the nozzles during the inoperative transit of these components and/or for the monitoring of a flow of any sanitizing gas which the said nozzles are required to blow into the containers at the filling stage.

Description: The invention relates to automatic machines for the metered feeding and packaging in bottles, flacons or other containers of fluid products in general and in particular liquid or cream products, for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, or other use. Known high-output machines are normally of the carousel type and have at each operating point a metered volume feeder which is alternately connected to the product supply reservoir and to the nozzle which discharges the portion into the packaging containers. These machines are remarkably bulky and complex in construction and therefore present maintenance problems due to the difficulty of access to the many components installed in the machines. Owing to the considerable quantity of the various components, the stages of washing and sterilization of the machine require relatively long periods, the more so because of the necessity of thermally treating the said components. In order to partially avoid these disadvantages, carousel or transfer machines have been devised, with a limited number of metered volume feeders which operate in sequence, with an alternating movement, while the containers to be filled advance with a continuous movement. These machines, which are less complex and less bulky than the former type, still have the disadvantage of disturbing, with the alternating movement of the feeders, the flow of sterile air which is normally created in the environment in which the machine operates when the products to be packaged require this condition. Moreover, even if the feeding stations are operated with appropriate acceleration and deceleration, the latter machines are markedly slower than the former and give rise to vibrations which, inter alia, may cause the product to drip from the feed nozzles. From DE-A-3 024 271 a mechanichal device is known for filling containers with dosed amounts of fluid or powdered products. From FR-A-657 427 a machine is known for filling containers with powdered products or the like, of the kind in which the containers to be filled as well as the corresponding flow ducts are carried by a rotating device of the machine. The invention as defined in claim 1 is intended to avoid these and other disadvantages with the following idea for a solution. Within a high-output automatic machine of the carousel type, the feeders, present in the proportion of one for each operating point of the carousel, or in another appropriate quantity, are arranged outside the carousel, together with the supply reservoir of the product to be fed, and, with the interposition of suitable valve means, the same feeders can be connected alternately to the said reservoir and to the product feed nozzles of the operating points of the carousel, this last connection being made by means of a rotary joint which is disposed on the carousel itself, coaxially with the carousel, and is characterized by high reliability in operation. In a possible extension of this solution, the rotary joint may be designed to form distribution chambers which, on completion of the discharge of the portion of product into the container, interrupt the connection of each nozzle to the corresponding metered volume feeder which can switch to a connection to the resevoir for the formation of a subsequent portion of product, while the isolated nozzles can be temporarily connected to a suction source which retains the residual product in them and avoids dripping. The selective connection of auxiliary longitudinal channels of the product feed nozzles to a sanitizing gas source can be provided through suitable channels made in the rotary joint. The machine made according to the principles stated above is of simplified construction, permits operation in an undisturbed flow of sterile air, and makes it possible to have the feeders with their switching valves and the product supply reservoir in a position remote from the carousel for packaging the portions of product, and enables these components to be reached rapidly and conveniently for all maintenance requirements. Further characteristics of the invention, and the advantages derived therefrom, will be apparent from the following description of some preferred embodiments of the invention, swown in the annexed drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a digrammatic plan view of the machine; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross section taken along the line II-II of Figure 1, of a detail of the machine according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation of the machine; Figs. 4 and 5 show details of the machine taken along the section lines IV-IV and V-V of Figure 3; Fig. 6 is a view of the machine similar to that of Figure 2 during the the washing and sterilization operations; Fig. 7 is a partially sectioned plan view of a variant embodiment of the machine; Fig. 8 shows other details of the variant of Figure 7, sectioned along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 7; Fig. 9 shows a further constructional variant embodiment of the principal component of the machine in section as in Figure 2 or 8; Fig. 10 shows further constructional details of the variant in Figure 9 in section along the line X-X, and Figure 11 shows in plan view a detail of a variant of the embodiment shown in Figures 7 and 8. With reference to Figures 1-2-3-4-5, it will be seen that the machine comprises a vertical turret 1 which, by suitable means, is caused to rotate continuously in the direction indicated for example by the arrow F, and that a disc 2 of any suitable material for the formation of a rotary joint, for example a ceramic material, is fixed to the turret. The disc 2 is surrounded by a metal ring 3 integral with the said disc and having a plurality of external and angularly equidistant radial collars 4 which form sockets of a known type, with rapid bayoned fitting, for nozzles 5 directed downwards and used for feeding the portions of product. Carousel devices of any suitable known type, which are consequently not illustrated, operate in phase and integrally with the turret 1 (see Figure 1) and pick up the empty containers 6 from a supply line 7, place a container under each nozzle, raise the container during the filling stage, lower it at the end of this stage, and then transfer each filled container to an output line 8. In Figures 2 and 5 it will be seen that the nozzles 5 are connected to corresponding holes 9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16 formed radially in the disc 2, of varying lengths, and connected through corresponding vertical end holes 109-110-111-112-113-114-115-116 to corresponding concentric annular channels 209-210-211-212-213-214-215-216 formed with precise spacing from each other on the upper face of the disc 2 and having their centres in the axis of this disc. A disc 17 of suitable material, for example, once again, a ceramic material, bears on the disc 2 with a frontal seal and is keyed axially to a shaft 18 connected to means which prevent its rotation, keep it pressed downwards and, when commanded, can raise it through a precise distance (see below). The shaft 18 has a tapered upper end part 118, which passes through the stop ring 218, an axial hole in the disc 17, and the central conical part 119 of a cover 19 integral with the said disc. The section of shaft 118 is provided with an axial threaded socket into which can be screwed the screw 120 of a knob 20 which, by its conical socket 220, is fitted on the projection 119 of the cover and holds the assembly 17-18-19-20 together. The disc 2 has an axial cylindrical projection of round section 102, with an outer seal 21, and this projection is housed rotatably in an axial socket 22 of the fixed disc 17, which is provided with an enlarged upper section 122, so that, when the discs 2 and 17 are in contact with each other as in Figure 2, the said seal 21 does not touch parts of the rotating disc 2. The disc 17 has a laterally attached annular body 23 which projects for a precise distance below the said disc, which rotatably surrounds the disc 2 and which is provided with an annular groove with a seal 24 next to the disc 2. When the discs 2 and 17 are in contact with each other, as in Figure 2, the disc 2 has an outer annular recess 25 next to the seal 24 which therefore does not bear on rotating parts. From Figures 3 and 4 it will be seen that the cover 19 has, on its perimeter, an integral downward extension 219 which engages with a corresponding slot in the body 23 and which meets the ends of ducts 26-27-28-29-30-31-32-33 which communicate with corresponding horizontal holes 126-127 -128 -129-130-131-132-133 which are provided in the fixed disc 17 and which in turn have their ends connected to corresponding descending holes 226-227-228-229-230-231-232- 233, each of which opens above one of the concentric annular channels 209-210-211-212-213-214-215-216 in the rotating disc 2. From Figure 1 it will be seen that the previously mentioned ducts 26 to 33 are connected, with the interposition of corresponding valve means indicated as a whole by 34, to corresponding metered volume feeders 35-36-37-38-39-40-41-42 which, with the interposition of other valve means indicated as a whole by 43, can be connected to the supply reservoir 44 of the product to be fed and packaged. The assembly of parts 34 to 44 can be located outside the environment 45 in which the machine according to the invention operates and in which known means can maintain a controlled and sterile atmosphere. It is to be understood that the feeders and the valve means can be disposed in any suitable way, not necessarily in line as shown in Figure 1, but, for example, on a circumference, for driving by means of a barrel cam which is brought into synchronized rotation with the turret 1. The operation of the machine designed in this way is simple and evident. By the use of means 46 which can be easily made by persons skilled in the art, and operate in phase with the angular displacement of each nozzle 5, the metered volume feeders and the corresponding valve means 34-43 are selectively arranged for the suction of the portion of product from the reservoir 44 when a container 6 moves away from a nozzle and the nozzle is moved to interact with a subsequent container, and are arranged for discharge of the portion of product into the container through the rotary joint formed by the discs 2 and 17, when each nozzle passes through that section of the carousel in which the container 6 is raised and engaged by the corresponding nozzle. The appropriate end configuration of the nozzles 5, which creates capillary retention effects, a siphon configuration of the nozzles if required, a brief connection of the nozzles with the feeders in the suction stage before their removal from the feeders, and other solutions known in the field of feeders, will be provided to avoid the dripping of product from the nozzles when the full containers move away from them and the nozzles move towards the next empty container. From Figure 6 it will be seen that, before the commencement of each operating cycle, the machine is arranged for washing and sterilization in the following way. The turret 1 is stopped, while the shaft 18 is raised by an amount sufficent to separate the upper disc 17 from the lower disc 2 as shown in Figure 6, so that a space 47 is formed between the two discs and is completely sealed from the exterior by the contact of the seal 21 with the lower and non-enlarged part of the socket 22 and by the contact of the seal 24 with the upper non-tapered part of the disc 2. In these conditions, detergent and sanitizing fluids pass through the whole feeding circuit of the machine to completely clean and sterilize the said circuit. The variant in Figures 7 and 8 shows that the rotary joint formed by the discs 2 and 17 can be made to form a distribution chamber which connects the nozzles 5 to the feed circuits of the portions of product, only over a part of the round angle. From these figures it will be seen that the circuit connected to the nozzles 5 terminates on the upper face of the disc 2 with only the vertical holes 109-110-111-112-113-114-115-116 shown by hatching in Figure 7. The vertical holes 226 to 233, which open on the lower face of the fixed disc 17 and connected to the corresponding product feed ducts 26 to 33, communicate with concentric channels 326 to 333 which open on the lower face of the said disc 2 and have the shape of a circular sector and a size such that they cover, for example, approximately 180° of this disc. When the holes 109 to 116 in the rotating disc 2 pass over the channels 326 to 333, the nozzles 5 are connected to the metered volume feeders and receive from them the portion of product to be introduced into the containers 6. The holes 109 to 116 which depart from the channels 326 to 333 can interact with closed parts of the lower face of the fixed disc 17 so that they are isolated from the feeders which are switched to the suction stage to form the next portion of product or, as illustrated in the example in Figures 7 and 8, the said holes 109 to 116 may interact with a recess 48 opening on the lower face of the fixed disc 17 and connected at 49 to a suction source which exerts its effect on the nozzles 5 when they are in their inoperative passage, in order to prevent the dripping of product from the nozzles. The variant shown in Figures 9 and 10 is based on the preceding variant and demonstrates the possibility of blowing into the containers 6, during the interaction with the product portion feeding carousel, an inert gas and/or one having characteristics promoting the preservation of the packaged product. In this case, the nozzles 5 have, in addition to the product conveying channel 105, corresponding longitudinal gas supply channels 205, meeting the same number of holes 50 opening on to the upper face of the rotating disc 2, disposed for example on the periphery of this disc and located on an ideal circumference which has its centre in the axis of rotation of the rotary joint. In the course of the movement in which the nozzles 5 interact with the containers 6 for the introduction of the portions of product into them, the holes 50, indicated by broken lines in Figure 10, interact in their turn with a channel 51 in the form of a sector of a circle, which also has its centre in the axis of the rotary joint, opens on the lower face of the fixed disc 17, covers, for example, approximately 180° of the disc, and is connected to at least one sanitizing gas delivery duct 52. It is to be understood that the foregoing description refers to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, to which numerous modifications may be made without thereby departing from the principle of the invention. For instance, according to the embodiment shown diagrammatically in Figure 11, the concentric channels formed in the fixed disc 17, and of which only one is shown at 333' in Figure 11, are extended by an angle minor than 180°, and for instance by an angle of 140°. Thanks to the said feature, it will be possible to double the vertical holes 109 to 116 connected to the distribution nozzles and formed on the disc 2, since it will be possible to provide a second hole 109' (to 116') at a position diametrically opposed, that is offsetted by 180° on the disc 2 with respect to the first hole 109. The said pairs of holes 109 and 109' (but 110-110';111-111' .....116-116') will cooperate in successive times with the corresponding chanels 326' to 333' extending by 140°.

Claims: Automatic carousel machine, for the metered feeding and packaging of fluid products, characterized in that it has, coaxially with the carousel, at least one rotary joint, of which one part (2) rotates with the carousel and is connected to product feed nozzles (5), the said part of the joint comprising a number of fluid flow channels corresponding to the number of nozzles, each channel being connected to a corresponding nozzle, while another part of the joint (17) is fixed and is connected by fixed ducts (26 to 33) to a set of metered volume feeders (35 to 42) and to corresponding valve means (34-43) which, together with a supply reservoir (44) of the product to be fed, may be located in any suitable position including one remote from the carousel, within or outside any environment (45) in which the said carousel operates in a controlled atmosphere, in a convenient and accessible position for any routine or special maintenance requirement, means being provided to synchronize the rotation of the carousel with the sequence of operation of the metered volume feeders and the corresponding valve means, so that, through the said rotary joint, the metered volume feeders are caused to be connected with the nozzles of the carousel in the stage of discharge of the portion of product into the containers, and to be isolated from the said nozzles and connected to the supply reservoir at the stage in which a subsequent portion of product is drawn from the reservoir. Machine according to Claim 1, in which the rotary joint is formed by at least two discs of suitable material, for example ceramic material, with one overlying the other, the lower disc (2) being fixed to the turret (1) of the carousel, rotating with it and carrying, laterally and at equal angular intervals, the nozzles (5) which interact with the containers to introduce the portion of product into them, these nozzles being connected by corresponding holes (9 to 16) to apertures (109 to 116) of any suitable form disposed on the upper face of the said lower disc, and communicating, at least for the period necessary for the discharge of the product into the containers, with corresponding apertures (226 to 233) of any suitable form provided in the lower face of the upper disc (17) of the joint, which is fixed and which meets ducts (26 to 33), in the proportion of at least one for each nozzle of the carousel, and which are connected to the assembly of metered volume feeders (35 to 42) and corresponding valve means (34-43) which switch at the precise moment when the feeders move from the suction to the delivery stage, for connection respectively to the reservoir (44) or to the feed circuits passing through the rotary joint. Machine according to the preceding claims, in which the upper face of the lower rotating disc (2) of the rotary joint has open concentric circular channels (209 to 216), suitably spaced apart, in the proportion of at least one for each nozzle (5) and with their centres in the axis of rotation of the disc, while on the lower face of the upper fixed disc (17) of the said joint there are open holes (226 to 233) in the proportion of at least one for each duct connected to the metered volume feeders, these holes being arranged for connection with the corresponding circular channels mentioned previously. Machine according to Claims 1 and 2, in which the upper face of the lower rotating disc (2) of the rotary joint has open holes (109 to 116), in the proportion of one for each product feed nozzle (5), disposed in separate concentric tracks, these holes being made to communicate, during the rotation of the carousel, with curved concentric channels (326 to 333) open on the lower face of the fixed upper disc (17) of the said joint, each of which channels is connected or connectable to a corresponding metered volume feeder and has an angular extent sufficient to permit connection to each nozzle (5) for the introduction of the portion of product into the container which rotates on the carousel, for example an extent of the order of approximately 180°, while over the remaining rotation path the said holes interact with closed parts of the upper disc and with any chamber (48) which may be connected to suction means (49) to prevent the dripping of the product from the nozzles as they leave the filled container and move towards the next container. Machine according to Claim 4, in which the said concentric curved channels (326 to 333) extend for an angle minor of 180°, and for instance in the order of 140°, and the said open holes (109 to 116) are doubled by providing for each of said hole a diametrically opposed simmetric hole (109' to 116') on the rotating disc 2. Machine according to any one or more of the preceding claims, in which each product feed nozzle (5) has at least one supplementary longitudinal channel (205) to blow inert or sanitizing gas and/or gas for other suitable purposes into the containers (6) for packaging the portions of product, these channels meeting holes (50) which open on the upper face of the lower disc (2) of the rotary joint and which, when the nozzles interact with corresponding containers, communicate with a curved channel (51) opening on the lower face of the upper disc (17) of the said rotary joint, and connected by at least one duct (52) to the gas supply source. Machine according to any one or more of the preceding claims, in which the lower disc (2) of the rotary joint is provided at its top with an axial projection (102) with a lateral seal (21) which works in a corresponding coaxial socket (22) in the upper disc (17) which in turn carries on its circumference an integral ring (23) which with an internal annular seal (24) interacts with the outer lateral surface of the lower disc of the joint, means being provided to enable a relative axial displacement to be imparted, when required, to the two discs of the joint, the displacement being sufficient to form, between the opposing faces of the discs, a space (47) which, by means of the said seals, is sealed with respect to the exterior and in which the liquid for washing and sterilizing the circuits of the machine can circulate, so that the machine is prepared for a new operating cycle, the carousel being preferably halted in this stage. Machine according to Claim 7, characterized in that when the two discs (2-17) of the rotary joint are in contact with each other and in the active operating position, the annular seals (21-24) providing the seal in the washing and sterilization stage interact with recessed parts (122-25) of the opposing surfaces, so that they are not touched by these and so that friction which might damage the said seals is avoided. Machine according to the preceding claims, in which the upper fixed disc (17) of the rotary joint is integral with an axial shaft (18) associated with means which, when required, can lower or raise it to bring the joint into the operating condition or into the washing and sterilization condition respectively.

Inventors: BARBIERI CLAUDIO, BARUFFATO ROBERTO, TREBBI CLAUDIO, VIGNA WILLIAM, BARBIERI, CLAUDIO, BARUFFATO, ROBERTO, TREBBI, CLAUDIO, VIGNA, WILLIAM
Applicants: IMA SPA, I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B67C3
IPC codes: B65B39, B67C3, B65B43